Ironing board structure



Jan. 17, 1933. c.. A;R|cH 1,894,423

IRONING BOARD STRUCTURE Filed oct. 8, 1931 31a/vento www@ Patented Jan. 17, 1933 UNITED STATES CHESTER A. RICH, F CINCINNATI, OHIO i InomNe BOARD STRUCTURE Application ilevd October 8, 1931. Serial No. 567,649.

This invention relates to an ironing board structure. An object of the invention is Vto provide .an ironing board and collapsible supporting means therefor so constructed and braced as not to' interfere with or inconvenience the user thereof;

Another object of theinvention is to provide a collapsible ironing board structure that may readily be collapsed, with all of the parts thereof disposed in a position close to the table portion of the device. Y

Another object is to provide a simple and .efficient means for bracing a collapsible three legged structure or table support.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which: y

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail 'perspectivey view of ,a conveniently disposed bracing means of the invention.L Y .n l

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a brace or support rod forming a detail of the invention.

The devicefof the invention comprisesthe substantially flat board or Itable portion 5 which is supported in anr operative position by means of a pair of table supporting frames 6 and 7 that may be folded or collapsed against the back or bottom face 8 of the table. Theframe 6.comprises the side members 9 and 10 each pivotally mounted at 11 and 12 upon a bracket 13 screwed .or otherwise secured transversely `of the table adjacent its rear edge 14. The free ends 15 yof the side members are held in close proximity with one another by means of a bolt v16 which passes throughk the side members, thereby providing in effect a single fo'ot or leg. Intermediate the opposite ends of the side members there is provided a transverse rung or spacer 17 which aords rigidity to the frame in the region of the pivots 18. i

The frame 7 comprises a pair of side members 19 and 20 spaced apart by rungs-or spacers 21, and said lside members preferably are ofZ-shape in the yregion of the pivots 18,

f whereby to provide for proper folding or col- `lapsing of the framemenibers. Each of the side members may have the Z-shape imparted thereto by constructing it of two lengths of wood or other suitable material disposed in oset relationship by means of metallic Z- shaped brackets or. connectors 22 to which the constituents of the frame are bolted, rivet- 5,5. ed, or otherwise secured as at 23. From the foregoing it should be. apparent that the frame 7 may be swung bodily in a clockwise direction upon the pivots 18, whereby to dispose the frames 6 and.7 in a collapsed rela- 59 tionship. f

To the under face ofthe table are secured one or more blocks 24 against which the upper part of frame 7 may abut, for the purpose of limiting movement of the frame 7 to the 65 operative position. Asindicated in Fig. 1, the uppermost rung 21 may abut the blocks 24.

A quick acting, simple and inexpensive means is provided for bracing the frames 6 and 7 and relieving strain caused by weight or pressure applied to the upper face of the table. Said means comprises a brace or support rod 25 having one end 26 pivotally supported upon the lower end of the-frame 6, the other end 27 of which rod is adapted to engage a suitable abutment 28 carried by one of the spacers 21, whereby to limit counterclockwise rotation of frame 7 relative to frame 6. Any suitable means may be provided for pivotal mounting of the end 26 of the brace, there being shown, however, an eye 29 through which may pass the bolt 16 which functions to hold the side members 10 and 11 in a convergent relationship. The 85 stop or abutment 30 comprises an extending portion 31 provided with an elongated slot 32V slightly exceeding in width the diameter of the rod or bracel 25, the remainder ofthe member 30 being developed into a part cylinder adapted to fit about the rung 21 and to be suitably secured thereto. The abutment member 30 may be secured to the rung by any suitable means such as a nail ory screw 33, as indicated in Fig. 2.

f 4 It is to be noted that the abutment or stop member 30 serves as avguide for the rod or` brace 25, and that it is angular at 34. The slot or elongated perforation v32 extends to and beyond the angle sufficiently to permitlOO the rod to assume a position substantially in parallelism with the extending portion 31 when the device is collapsed. The end 27 of the rod is provided with an enlargement of such thickness as to permit insertion thereof through the elongated slot during assembly of the frames. In its inal position, however, the enlargement 27 is disposed transversely of the slot, thereby precluding disassociation of the enlargement from the abutting portion 28 of member 31. In itsl simplest and most desirable form, the brace or rod 25 has the eye 29 formed at its one end and a second eye or enlargement 27 at its opposite end, said eyes being disposed at right angles to one another, in other words, lying in intersecting planes which are substantially at right angles to one another. By means of this arrangement, the device may easilybe installed since it is necessary only to place the abutting member 31'over the eyelet 27 and to then rotatel the slotted member through substantially a quarter circle, after which the screw 33 may be applied for lixing the abutting member on the rung 21 near its midpoint. Itwill be observed that upon collapsing the frames, the rod will slide through the guide or elongated slot 32, and will automatically assume a position in close proximity with the underface .8 ofthe table. That portion 35 of slot 32, which extends beyond the angle 34, allows the rod to lie in substantial parallelism with the extension 31 when the device is collapsed. The rodV then will lie across the rung 21 and in kclose `proximity therewith.

It should'be noted that Vthe rod or brace is disposed `well within the limits of the three supporting legs, and therefore will not intertere with or inconvenience the user of the device. It is to be understood thatvarious modifications and changes in structural details of the device may be made Within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible ironing board structure comprising in combination a pair of crossed supporting frames connected for pivotal movement relatively and for disposition in substantial parallelism with one another in the collapsed condition, means for determining the extended positions of the frames, said means comprising a longitudinal brace with an enlarged portion on each end thereof disposed in planes intersecting one another sub'- stantially at right angles, a pivot pin passing Vthrough one of the enlarged portions and supported on one of the frames, a guide receiving the brace andhaving an elongated slot therein and comprising an extending abutment portion and a mounting portion dispo-sed in diierent planes with each of said portions including a portion of the elongated slot` whereby the brace may be moved in 4and means for immovably iixing the guide upon the supporting frame. Y l u 2. A collapsible ironing board structure comprising in combination a substantially horizontal elongated table, a twolegged supporting frame and spacers associated there-l with for spacing apart the legs of the supporting frame, theupper extremities of the legs providing a support for the table, a third leg pivoted upon the supporting frame and upon the table and inclined relative tothe table, the lower'extremity of 'said third leg being disposed substantially in a vertical plane passing through the major axis ofrthe table, a longitudinal brace pivotedVV at one end upon'the lower extremity'of the thirdleg,`a Y Y guide receiving the bracey and having an elongated slot therein and comprising an extending abutment portion and a mounting portion disposed in different planes with each of said portions including aportion of the'elongated slot, whereby the brace may be moved inthe slot from perpendicular toi parallel relationships with respect to both the abutmentportion and the mounting portion, an abutment headon the brace, and means for immovably fixing the guide upon the supporting frame.

3. A collapsible ,ironing board structure comprising in combination a substantially horizontal elongated table, a two legged supporting frame and spacers associated therewith forspacing apart thelegs of the 4supporting frame, the uppery extremities 'of i,the

legsproviding a support forthe; table, a third leg pivoted upon the supporting frame and upon the table and inclined relative to the table, the lower extremity of said third leg being disposed substantially ina vertical plane passing through the major axis'oic the table, a longitudinal brace pivoted at -one end upon the lower extremity Iof the third leg, a

guide receiving they brace and yhaving any elongated slot therein and comprisingv an extending abutment portion anda mounting portion disposed in different planes with each of said portions including a portion of the elongated slot, whereby the brace maybe moved inthe slot from perpendicular topar- 1,20

allelV relationships `with respect vto both the abutment portion and the mounting `port-ion, 'an abutment head on. the brace, and means for immovably fixing the guide upon a spacer lof the supporting frameat substantially the ,.125

'4. An ironing board structurecomprising lin combination' a substantially horizontal elongated table, a two legged supporting mid-point of the spacer.

frame having its lower extremities spaced apart and located substantially directlyv below one end of the table, with its upper extremities supporting the table, a third leg pivoted on the supporting frame and upon the table and inclined relative to the table, the lower extremity of said third leg being disposed substantially in a vertical plane passing through the major axis of the table, and a single brace connecting the said third leg and the supporting frame at a point substantially midway between the two legs thereof, said brace lying substantially in the aforesaid vertical plane passing through the major axis of the table, and means-consisting of but a single perforate guide member carried by the two legged supporting frame and arranged to slidably receive the brace and move it into substantial parallelism with the table upon collapsing of the device for storing.

5. An ironing board structure comprising in combination a substantially horizontal elongated table, a two legged supporting frame having its lower extremities spaced apart and located substantially directly below one end of the table, with its upper extremities supporting the table, a second frame comprising side members pivoted on the first frame and inclined relative to the table, said side members having their lower extremities secured together to provide a single third leg which at said lower extremity is disposed in a vertical plane passing through the maj or axis of the table, and a single brace connecting the said third leg and the first frame at a point substantially midway between the two legs thereof, said brace lying substantially in the aforesaid vertical plane passing through the major axis of the table, and means consisting of but a single perforate guide member fixedly mounted relative to the two legged supporting frame and arranged to slidably receive the brace and move it automatically into substantial parallelism with the table upon collapsing ofthe device for storing.

6. An ironing board structure comprising in combination a substantially horizontal elongated table, a two legged supporting frame having its lowervextremities spaced apart and located substantially directly below one end of the table, with its upper extremities supporting the table, a third leg pivoted on the supporting frame and upon the table and inclined relative to the table, the lower extremity of said third leg being disposed substantially in a vertical plane passing through the major axis of the table, and a single brace connecting the said third leg` and the supporting legs thereof, said brace lying substantially in the aforesaid vertical plane passing through the major axis of the table andv means comprising a xed perforate guide member through which 'the brace may slide and arranged to automatically move the brace to a position in substan- CHESTER A. RICH. 

